


Frigid Flame

by haruvalues



Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, IDOLiSH7 Flash Bang 2019, there's a hidden flower shop AU in there
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-17
Updated: 2019-08-17
Packaged: 2020-09-05 23:35:57
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,245
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20281741
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haruvalues/pseuds/haruvalues
Summary: Time went by too fast. It had already been five years since they were forced to come to terms with Yuki's leave. The first year was the worst. Neither of them really knew what to do, how to proceed. Should they really keep going? If they did, should they keep calling themselves Re:vale or change the name?





	Frigid Flame

**Author's Note:**

> My part for the i7flashbang! I was paired with @gekijous on twitter.  
Please look at their amazing piece of artwork for this fic [over here!](https://twitter.com/gekijous/status/1162556766279704576?s=20)

The news hit him like a train; hard, fast and out of nowhere. Usually bright magenta eyes turned dull, all shine disappearing from them in the span of a few fleeting seconds. This had to be a joke. Rapidly, his brain thought back. It went through the happenings of the past week to try and remember if there was anything he had done wrong that led his friends (He could call them that by now, right?) to pull this kind of cruel prank on him. Nothing came to mind. Not to mention Banri wasn't the type to joke about such a serious matter, his brain reminded him. So then... was it true? Had Yuki really left them?

It had been a few days after the incident of the light fixture falling, crashing right into the unsuspecting Yuki. When Banri had shown up at his home, the usual smile gone from his face, Momo felt tense. There was a mixture of harshness and sadness clouding Banri's usually so gentle features and Momo was unable to think of any reasons as to why that may be – at least until the words “Yuki is gone.” fell from the older man's lips. For a brief moment Momo assumed the worst but Banri, apparently having a talent in reading people like an open book, quickly assured him that Yuki wasn't dead, simply nowhere to be found. While glad Yuki was alive, the fact he had gone missing wasn't any less concerning.

“He left a letter.” Banri's voice finally pulled Momo out of his thoughts and he blinked slowly. If Yuki left them a letter, wasn't that practically the same as leaving them with his will? The thought only filled Momo with even more sadness. He could already feel the stinging sensation of tears prickling at the very corners of his eyes and, as if only now realising they were still standing on opposite sides of the open front door, Momo quickly rubbed the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand before offering a weak smile. “C-come in.” Momo stepped aside, allowing Banri to enter the Sunohara residence.

Once the door was closed behind him, Banri took a look around. It was easy to tell this place was occupied by more than one person and he didn't have to guess who the owner of the thoughtlessly thrown around shoes was. He knew well of Momo's habit to kick his shoes off without bothering to line them up neatly like most other people would. It amused him.

What followed next was a rather awkward introduction to Momo's family, who had been gathering in the kitchen, seemingly just about done with dinner. His friend's plate was empty already. While Mister Sunohara didn't care much about the newcomer, only greeting him to be polite, Momo's mother was quite thrilled to have such a handsome young prince enter their home. Her words, not his. Ruri, Momo's older sister, was blushing up to her ears, muttering something about how honoured she was to meet him in person like this. Banri had to stifle a laugh.

A few moments later the two young men were seated on the floor of Momo's room. Sports magazines, some clothes and other miscellaneous items were strewn all across the floor so Momo had to first make enough space for the both of them to be able to sit down properly. He should really do some proper cleaning one of these days but that wasn't the issue right now. After clearing his throat, Momo spoke. “Sorry about my mum, she's... a bit much sometimes.” He only continued after Banri assured him it was fine. “You mentioned... a letter?”

Banri nodded, reaching into his pocket to pull out a piece of paper and handing it to Momo. After a moment of hesitation and several deep breaths to calm his racing heart, he began to read. Yuki's handwriting was as neat as always but Momo could still tell he had been shaking as he wrote this.

> “_Momo, Ban...as my presence seems to only endanger the both of you, I have decided to leave. This time it was only a light fixture, perhaps next time it will be something even more dangerous and it might be aimed at either of you. Don't worry, I'll be fine, so please keep singing and let me watch your faces appear on TV and printed in all the well-known music magazines. I left my latest song in a drawer of Ban's desk, use it. Keep having fun, even if I cannot be there to laugh along with you. Momo, kick Ban if he's being stubborn and Ban... look after Momo.”_

He read it once, twice, then again a third time. It seemed so surreal. Yuki loved music, it was everything to him, kept him going, yet he was giving it up for the safety of Banri and him. “Why didn't he say something?” Momo's voice was shaking, sounding almost a bit angry. “We could have thought about it together, figured something out...” Banri shook his head, averting his eyes from Momo. He knew Yuki better than anyone so he could deduce what kind of thought process Yuki went through before making the decision to back off. Perhaps there had been more than just that incident, something Momo wasn't aware of. As close as he was to Re:vale, he didn't know everything that went on with them. It was a hard pill to swallow but it really did seem like there was no way around this. Yuki was gone and he didn't plan on coming back to them.

***~***

Time went by too fast. It had already been five years since they were forced to come to terms with Yuki's leave. The first year was the worst. Neither of them really knew what to do, how to proceed. Should they really keep going? If they did, should they keep calling themselves Re:vale or change the name? They settled on keeping the name and signed Momo up for vocal lessons, both of them starting various jobs to support themselves through their indie days, not wanting to depend on others for money. At some point Banri had moved in with Momo and his family, who were (to Momo's surprise) quite supportive of his new dream. The guest room had quickly turned into Banri's very own bedroom and the garage was transformed into their place to practice. Ruri had been awkward and flustered around Banri at first but quickly warmed up to him and, despite her admiration for the man, started talking to him in a more relaxed and friendly manner. Momo was not at all surprised when they started dating after a year.

Once signed on to Okazaki Agency, Momo and Banri moved into their own apartments for more privacy and peace. By then even the last whispers of “What happened to Yuki?” had died down and Re:vale consisting of Banri and Momo seemed like the most natural and obvious thing.

Even so, they never could get Yuki out of their heads, spending every spare minute they had looking for him, to no avail. At some point Banri had hired a private detective and asked several of his friends and acquaintances to keep a look out for his old partner as well. Momo did the same, neither of them wanting to give up. Yuki was out there, watching them, and they were going to find him sooner or later.

***~***

It was a rainy day, meaning not many people were going to come in looking for flowers. Yuki sighed, soft fingers gently brushing over the roses sitting on the checkout counter. It had been nearly three years since he started working at this little flower shop, realising quickly that tending to greens was something he not only enjoyed but also was very good at. Not as good as compared to writing music perhaps but still good enough to keep the job despite his often times sour attitude. Over the years he worked there, he had slowly learnt to smile at his customers and not make snarky comments at them. His communication skills were still horrible for the most part but as long as he was working he tried his best to not upset anyone.

He was about to turn off the radio, which had been playing in the back ever since he started his shift this morning, but his hand stopped in mid-air when he heard the announcement. Re:vale was holding a concert for their fifth anniversary. A smile spread across his face, both sad and happy at the same time. They had come so far and Yuki was incredibly proud of them both. Ever since he discovered that they honoured his selfish wish of not quitting, he followed their actions closely. Every single CD was bought, his room littered with their merchandise. Sometimes he sent them fan letters but never signed them with his name; didn't even write them by hand for he was sure they would recognise his handwriting instantly. The only thing he had not done in all those years was to attend their concerts in person. This time would be different.

Yearning to see them again, not on TV or prints but in person, he fished his phone from his jeans pocket and immediately reserved himself a ticket for the anniversary concert. His heart was beating heavily in his chest as ice-grey eyes refused to tear away from the order confirmation. He did it. He was going to see them live, with his own eyes. Of course he knew there was no way they would spot him in the crowd but he didn't need them to in the first place. All he wanted was to actually see their faces again, even if from afar.

***~***

“Good evening, everyone!” Banri's voice could be heard loud and clear, a big and bright smile adorning his face. Momo waved at their fans. “We're gonna make sure you all have the best evening of your lives!” The cheers from the audience were deafening, causing a sense of discomfort to rise in Yuki's chest. He had forgotten how much he hated loud and crowded places when he went and bought the ticket. There was no going back, though. For Momo and Ban he would gladly endure this torture. All he had to do was focus on them; their words, their moves, their smiles. Sure enough he was able to ignore the screams and cheers of the people surrounding him.

Even from this far away he could see their faces as clearly as ever. Their eyes were shining and he almost feared the grins plastered onto both their faces would never fade away again. Not that it would be a bad thing, but being unable to stop grinning could be inconvenient in some situations.

After a brief introduction, instrumentals of Re:vale’s first song for this evening reached Yuki's ears. His heart skipped several beats and for a moment he forgot how to breathe. He wrote this. It was the very song he had left them with when he disappeared. Unable to look away, afraid to even blink, he stared at the idols on stage. Only when something wet crawled down his cheek did Yuki realise he was crying. All these years they had not used this song, making Yuki question if perhaps it hadn't been as good as he thought it to be or if they really hated him for leaving simply and refused to use it. How could he have known they were saving it for such an important event? His heart was aching, every fibre of his being screaming at him to run up the stage and scold them for making him wait so long.

They began to sing about thirty seconds into the song and Yuki felt like he was suffocating.

> _There is a coldness on your face unmatching to the warmth of your smile_
> 
> _A heart so rough yet soft, loving with all it got_
> 
> _Hurting, screaming, crying ; it was all that could be done_
> 
> _Your presence everywhere I go, forgetting you is impossible  
  
_
> 
> _This love is like a freezer burn_
> 
> _Blazing bright but cold as ice_
> 
> _Never turn away, never let it die_
> 
> _Let's keep it alive, this frigid flame_

They weren't just using Yuki's music, they made the entire song about him. It was too much, he couldn't handle this. Overwhelmed by a variety of emotions, tears continuously flowing down his pale face, Yuki barely managed to choke back a sob. He had to get out, quickly. Without thinking, he turned around and began pushing himself through the crowd, deaf to anything but the song. Even now, after all this time, they were still thinking about him. It made it happy and ripped him apart all at once, heart pounding so hard in his chest he feared it might give out any moment. Air. He needed air. Now.

***~***

As the song neared its end, a pair of magenta eyes caught sight of something unusual. Was someone leaving their concert in the middle of their first song? At first he wanted to frown, a bit irritated by this person. Perhaps they weren't a fan of Re:vale but had come for either TRIGGER, who were going to be the closing act, or IDOLiSH7, who had performed as the opening act, instead. Even so, leaving like that only to return later seemed kind of rude to Momo and he decided to simply ignore whoever this was and focus on those who loved them instead. Despite himself, he took another glance at the leaving figure and immediately felt like someone stabbed a dull knife right through his heart. It was a bit hard to see, but there was definitely something familiar about that earring. This wasn't just any person – it was Yuki!

Chills ran down his spine and he had to try his hardest to properly finish the song and not run off the stage right then and there. Banri seemed to notice something was off and followed his partner's gaze, almost freezing in his steps. He saw him too, Momo easily concluded and made a hasty decision. It wouldn't be professional by any means but that was something they could worry about later. Yuki was more important. Surely Banri would agree.

The last note of Frigid Flame faded out, the crowd cheering at them with all they got. Momo barely took notice of it. The only thing on his mind right now was Yuki. Putting on his best smile, Momo waved at his fans. “I'm glad you all like our new song! It's really special to us, you know.” Some giggles came from the fans below. He didn't think over his next words and simply let them flow out of his mouth as they came. “I hope you'll give your cheers to this next group as well. Please welcome TRIGGER!”

Confusion was clear on everyone's faces but Momo ignored it and grabbed Banri's hand, dragging him off the stage. They took off their mics and handed them to a very distressed looking Okarin. “What are you doing?!” Neither of them thought to answer, legs acting seemingly on their own as they ran out of the arena as fast as they could. TRIGGER were professionals, they could handle this for a while.

***~***

It was already dark outside, with only the sounds of rushed footsteps and heavy breathing breaking the serene silence. The moon was full, illuminating the area enough for the two figures to see where they were going even without street lights. Yuki was close by. He couldn't have gone far, they knew his stamina was way worse than theirs.

The person in question indeed hadn't gone far, standing with his back facing them. Still trying to catch his breath, Yuki stared at the sea before him, finding solace in the rippling waves and sounds of water. He shouldn't have come, he told himself. No matter how badly he wanted to see them, he shouldn't have done this, should have continued to watch them from afar. Perhaps that way his reaction to their new song, the one he wrote the music for, would not have hit him this hard. He still felt his heart ache and it wasn't because he had been running.

“Yuki!” Momo's voice pulled him from his thoughts, panic written all over his delicate features. Why was he here? They were in the middle of a concert! Turning around to verify if he had heard correctly, Yuki had absolutely no time to be surprised. Fast as he was, Momo had already caught up and was currently leaping right at him. Before he could make any sort of noise or even think of stepping to the side he felt Momo's body crash right into his own, the sheer force of the collision sending them both tumbling over the edge.

Banri watched with mixed emotions as Yuki and Momo fell into the water with a loud splash. How many times had he told Momo to be careful when hugging people? He stopped where his friends had fallen and looked down at them with a sigh. They had already emerged from the waves, water dripping off their hair and face. Momo was clinging to a stunned Yuki and while it was hard to tell with how much water there was on his face, Banri was sure his partner was crying. “Ban, look! It's Yuki! It really is him!” Yes, he was definitely crying.

“You didn't have to tackle him into the water, though...” Although he sighed again, there was a smile on his face. God, even Banri was close to tears. “You really are too reckless.” For a moment, nobody said a word. Then, deciding he didn't want to be left out of this, Banri joined the other two in the water, shivering a little at how cold it was.

Yuki was dumbfounded, sandwiched between Banri and Momo who both seemed determined to never let go of him ever again. “Y-you're in the middle of a concert!” He wanted to scold them, even if he was in no place to do so, but his voice was soft and warm, a smile tugging at the corners of his lips. The holds on him tightened and he let out a little noise of surprise when both Momo and Banri pressed their lips to his wet cheeks. Yuki knew them well enough to know what this meant._ 'You are more important than that right now.'_ Well, he supposed he could enjoy their affections a little longer...

**EXTRA**

Naturally, Re:vale didn't plan on ending their concert this early and returned to the stage a good fifteen minutes later, both of them completely soaked but with smiles brighter than any of their fans had ever seen. As expected, TRIGGER had done a good job at substituting for them. It was Momo who spoke first, pushing a wet strand of hair from his face. “Haha, sorry for that, everyone! Ban-chan and I had something really important to take care of but we're back now to give you the best night of your lives!”

The concert continued without further interruptions, Re:vale shining brighter than any of the stage lights. Yuki was back in their lives. The thought alone made them happy enough to not even worry about the huge scolding Okarin would give them later.

Finally, everything was perfect.


End file.
